Point of Pinchas

...AND HE AROSE FROM AMID THE ASSEMBLY AND TOOK A SPEAR IN HIS HAND...[Pinchas] removed the point and placed it under his garment... (Sanhedrin 82a)

Thursday, April 23, 2009

A FREE LUNCH?

I was asked to post the following:

A FREE LUNCH?

We are clearly experiencing the "Birth pangs of Mashiach". Both Rav Ulla and Rava said, "Let Mashiach come, but we don't want to witness it because of the difficulties we will experience." There is a simple and easy way to significantly reduce our pain. Chazal say that King Achav was always successful in his military campaigns (despite the fact that he encouraged Avodah Zarah) because of the unity of Klal Yisrael in his day. Chazal say that if we have unity we will be spared from suffering. True, the suffering comes from HaShem to encourage us to do Teshuvah, which we must do. But here is a quick and painless way to gain significant protection from HaShem.We lost the second Beis HaMikdash because of Sin'as Chinam (baseless hatred among Jews). Now we need Ahavas Chinam (baseless love among Jews). We need to change our attitude towards other Jews; this will promote unity.

Here are some practical and easy ways to express Ahavas Chinam (baseless love for fellow Jews):

1) After reading or hearing about some Jew’s problem anywhere in the world, we should say a short prayer for him/her and end our prayer with one chapter of Tehillim (Suggestion: Psalm 13 is very appropriate because it is a prayer for the end of our long Galus and it is a short perek). Choose an easy chapter that you know by heart so you can do this at a moment's notice without any preparation. We must show HaShem that we are concerned about ALL Jews, whether or not they are similar to us.

2) Try to greet all Jews with a "Good Morning!" or a "Good Shabbos!" especially if you don't know them. If you don't know them, then it is definitely Ahavas Chinam.

3) Try to do at least one extra Chesed every day for any Jew that you were not doing before. If in addition, you happen to dislike the Jew you are helping out, then you are definitely creating Ahavas Chinam and saving yourself from much suffering. One easy Chesed is to call up someone to wish him a "Good Shabbos!"

4) Try to mention at least one Choleh in what one can add during "R'fa'einu" in the silent Sh'moneh Esrei, and try to have in mind one person out of work during "Bareich Aleinu" in the silent Sh'moneh Esrei.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Shmittah Calendar: Month of Nisan 5769

Right now is Motzei Shmittah and items, starting with vegetables start to lose their Kedushat Shevi'it. Many items will still retain Kedushah, however, for quite some time.

The following list is not fully comprehensive at all but includes some common everyday produce most people use. It is largely based on Rabbi Marcus's "Shmittah 5768: A Pratical Guide" (which we recommend you order for yourself here) and other sources. For more information on what these dates mean see here.

Kedushat Shevi'it Starts

There are no items that Kedushat Shevi'it starts this month.

Kedushat Shevi'it for these items remains in effect (with *ed items in Sefichim):